Acetylene-gas machine.



PATENTED MAY 7, 1907.

J. R. RIUKETTS.

AGETYLENE GAS MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 16, 1905.

NVE/VTOR THE uonms PETERS cm, wAsmNamN. n. c

JAMES R. RTCKETTS, OF FORT WORTH,

TEXAS, ASSIGN OR TO H. G. THOMAS OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS.

ACETYLENE-GAS llilACHlNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May *7, 1907.

Application filed May 16, 1905. Serial No. 260,688.

To (LZZ w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. RIoKETTs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort orth, in the county of Tarrant, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an acetylene gas machine and particularly to a structure for automatically governing the feed of carbid or gas producing material to the generator.

The lHVGDLlOIl has for an object to provide an improved construction and arrangement of the cooperating parts whereby the carbid feed will be automatically controlled by the pressure of gas within the gas tank communicated from said tank by means of a float and lever connection with the valve of the carbid hopper.

Another object of the invention is to pro-" vide an improved construction of the discharge valve for said hopper and of a plunger carried by said valve by which the discharge neck from the hopper may be cleared of collected material, or closed to prevent the escape of gas in recharging the hopper.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention a ill be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the assembled members of the machine; Fig. 2, an enlarged vertical section of the carbid hopper; and Fig. 3, a similar view of a modified form of hopper valve.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The letter A indicates the generating tank which may be of any desired construction and is preferably provided with a draw off connection A at the normal water level therein. This tank is connected with a gas tank B by means of the pipe A which discharges at the lower portion of the gas tank and is there provided w ith a finely screened end A to break up the gas into fine bubbles so as to insure a uniform pressure within the gas tank. The pipe A within the tank is also provided with a check valve A to prevent the pressure within the tank from forcing water into said pipe, should the pressure in the generating tank fall below that of the gas tank. This I gas tank is provided with an outlet B at its I l I l l 4 l l I l normal water level and with a second outlet B at the normal level of the gasolene or other liquid usually superposed upon the water in the tank for the purpose of washing the gas passing therethrough.

The gas tank is provided with the usual discharge pipe B connected with a filter 13 This filter communicates at its lower end. with the pipe B and is provided with overlapping shelves or trays B having a fine screen B extending between the same so as to intercept any solid matter floating in the gas and also to cool the gas during its passage between the plates. The gas is discharged from the filter at its upper end by means of the pipe B communicating with the main, and. a draw off cock B is provided for the pipe B below the filter.

Communicating with the lower portion of the gas tank B is a float tank O having a closed lower portion, except for a pipe connection O extending therefrom tothe bottom of the gas tank and provided with a fioat C of any proper dimensions to fit the diameter thereof, mounted therein and adapted to. be moved in accordance with the increase of the pressure within the gas tank as communi cated to the body of liquid in said tank and the fioat tank. This float is connected with an operating lever O for the valve D within the carbid hopper D by means of a flexible connection O. The proper level of liquid is maintained within the generating tank A and water introduced therein by means of a stand pipe A having an overflow chamber A at its upper end and communicating with the lower portion of the generating tank. This tank is also provided at its bottom with a discharge neck A communicating with a draw off cook or valve A. For the purpose of discharging the collected lime and solid. material which may fall to the bottom of the generating tank, an agitating arm E is mounted therein by means of a stem E having a packed connection in the cap E and provided with an operating handle This stem is also provided with teeth E disposed within the neck A to break up the lime or solid matter passing therethrough so that the same will be washed out in the flow of the water from the tank and also to hold the agitator in proper position.

The carbid hopper D is provided with a ins cap portion D bolted thereto in the usual manner and provided with a filling openmg D". This cap also supports a depending casing D within which the valve 1) is adapted to slide, said casing being provided at its lower portion with a sheath D to prevent the body of material within the hopper from falling into contact with the valve. This valve is provided with a cutting edge D at its lower end and is adapted to contact with the bottom of the hopper directly adjacent to the discharge neck D thereof. The valve D is carried by a tubular stem D extending upwardthrough the body D of the casing 1) and through a suitable packing cap I) at the top of said body. The projected endof the tubular stem 1) is connected with the operating lever C by means of a link F ar ranged in any desired manner and preferably pivotally connected both to the cap F carried by the tube D and to the end of the lever at F. This lever is preferably mounted upon a suitable standard F carried by the upper portion. of the hopper, as shown. For the purpose of retaining the valve normally in a closed osition a coiled tension spring 1* is provided for that pur ose and disposed between the upper face 0'' the valve and the body of the casing within which the valve slides, so that as the valve is raised the spring is placed under tension and in its expansion firmly closes the valve and causes it to cut away and remove any material which. may be resting upon its seat. The lower portion of the valve D is provided with a recess within which a plunger G is disposed and preferably formed of flexible material so as to pass downward into the neck D from the hopper and clear it of any adhering material such as slaked. carbid, while when the hopper is opened for filling, this valve may be retained in its depressed position to prevent 'the escape of gas.

The plunger is normally supported within the valve out of operative position by means of its stem G extending upward through the valve and the tubular stem thereof, which stem is provided with a head G and a tension spring G extending between the head and the upper portion of the tubular valve stem. hen it is desired to retain the plunger in the discharge neck of the hopper it may be accomplished by means of the chain or other connection G which is adapted to be secured to any desired relatively fixed point, such, for instance, as a hook G carried by the lever O It will be seen that when the spring G is not compressed the plunger is inoperative and carried by the valve in its movements, while a simple depression of the head G causes the plunger to clear the discharge neck below the valve while its spring G3 restores it to its raised position as soon as the pressure is released from the head.

ing function of in the modified form of valve operating means shown in Fig. 3 the tubular stem from the valve D is omitted and the valve controlled in its downward movement by the spring F within a casing D while it is retracted by means of the plunger Gwhich enters the recess in the valve in its upward movement and carries the valve therewith. The stem G of this plunger is connected with the lever C mounted upon the standard F by means of a link H, through which connection the plunger and valve are operated by the float 0 as shown in Fig. 1. The plunger in the modified form, however, is automatically projected into the neck D by means of the tension spring H connected at one end to the lever and at its opposite end to thetop D of the hopper. During the ordinary feedthe valve the plunger is adapted to pass entirely through the neck and clear it of any adhering material, but when it is desired to feed the hopper it is necessary to limit the travel of the plunger so that it will stop within the neck, and for this purpose a finger H is pivotally mounted upon the lever and adapted to be swung into engagement with a stop H carried upon the standard F by which means the downward movement of the plunger under tension of the spring H is limited. In this construction of the valve it will be seen that the same is always seated by the tension of the spring 'which is not interfered with by the lever connections of the float and is positively opened by the upward movement of the plunger. The downward movement of the plunger leaves the valve free to act, and the plunger continues independently thereof after the seating of the valve.

In the operation of the invention the gas passes from the generator to the gas tank where it is washed by its passage upward through the water and gasolene and thence to the filter where it is cooled and freed from any solid substances before passage to the main. The pressure in this gas tank con-. trols the feed of carbid through the float communicating with the liquid within the gas tank, and the elevation of the float and its tank determines the pressure under which the gas in the gas tank will be maintained and the consequent pressure in the main. It will be seen that the construction of valve in the carbid hopper forms means for positively closing the same under spring tension, thus removing any material which may rest upon the valve seat, while the plunger carried by the valve clears the discharge neck fromthe hopper of any slack carbid or other adhering material after the valve is seated. When it is desired to refill the hopper it is only necessary to depress this plunger into the neck and secure it in that position in order to prevent the escape of any gas when the hopper is opened. If the float tank be elevated to increase the pressure of the gas tank, a similar increase of pressure may be effected in the generator by means of the stand pipe, while the solid matter at the bottom of the generator may be conveniently removed by means of the agitator there shown.

The provision of the float tank at a proper height above the gas tank obviates the necessity of providing a gasometer bell, as this tank not only controls the feeding valve for the generator, but also maintains a proper predetermined pressure upon the gas tank.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what 1 claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge opening at its lower portion, a depending casing disposed within said hopper, a valve slidingly mounted in said casing to engage a seat adjacent said opening, a tension spring disposed between said valve and the body of said casing at its upper portion, a tubular stem extending through said body and beyond said hopper, and an operating lever connected to said stem.

:2. In agas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge neck at its lower portion, a valve normally held in closed position at the upper end of said neck, a plunger adapted to traverse said neck and disposed within said valve and provided. with a stem extending beyond said valve to permit the independent operation of the plunger when the valve is closed.

3. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge neck at its lower portion, a valve normally held in closed position, a plunger disposed within said valve and provided with a stem extending beyond said valve to permi t the independent operation of the plunger when the valve is closed, a spring for normally retracting said plunger within said valve, and means for retaining said plunger in operative position within said neck.

at. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge opening at its lower portion, a depending casing disposed within said hopper, a valve slidingly mounted in said casing to engage a seat adjacent to said opening, a tension spring disposed. between said. valve and the body of said casing at its upper portion, a tubular stem extending through said body and beyond said hopper, a pivoted operating lever for said stem, and a link pivotally connected to said stem and operating lever.

5. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a (.lischarge opening at its lower portion, a depending casing disposed within said hopper, a valve slidingly mounted in said casing to engage a seat adjacent to said opening, a tension spring disposed between said valve and the body of said casing at its upper portion, a tubular stern extending through. said body and beyond said hopper, a pivoted operating lever for said stem, a link pivotally connected to said stem and operating lever, a plunger disposed within the recessed lower portion of said valve, a rod from said plunger extending through the tubular stem of said valve, and a tension spring extending between a head upon said rod. and the end of said stem.

6. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge opening at its lower portion, a depending casing disposed within said hop per, a valve slidingly mounted in said casing to. engage a seat adjacent to said opening, a tension spring disposed between said valve and the body of said casing at its upper portion, a tubular stem extending through said body and beyond said hopper, a pivoted operating lever for said stern, a link pivotally connected to said stem and operating lever, a plunger disposed within the recessed lower portion of said valve, a rod from said plunger extending through the tubular stem of said valve, a tension spring extending between a head upon said rod and the end of said stem, and a connection extending from. said red head to a relatively fixed point upon said lever.

7. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge opening at its lower portion, a depending casing disposed within said hopper, a valve slidingly mounted. in said casing to engage a seat adjacent to said opening, a tension spring disposed between said valve and the body of said casing at its upper portion, a tubular stem extending through said body and beyond said hopper, a pivoted op erating lever for said stem, a link pivotally connected to said stem and operating lever, a plunger disposed within the recessed lower portion of said valve, arod from said plunger extending through the tubular stem of said valve, a tension spring extending between a head upon said. rod and the end of said stem, a connection extending from said rod head to a relatively fixed point upon said lever, and a deflecting sheath carried by said casing at its lower portion.

8. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge portion, a valve seated upon said portion and provided with a recess at its lower portion, a tension spring for closing said valve, a plunger disposed. within the recess at the lower portion of said valve and provided with a stem extending therethrough, and means for operating said. plunger independently of the valve.

9. In a gas machine, a feed hopper having a discharge portion, a valve seated at the upper end of said discharge portion, a tension spring for closing said valve, a plunger head adapted to traverse said discharge portion and disposed atthe lower portion of said valve and provided with a stem extending I said plunger in one direction independently 1o therethrough, and a pivoted lever for simulof said valve.

taneously moving said plunger and valve In testimony whereof, I affix my signature away from their seats. in presence of tWo Witnesses.

10. In a gas machine, a feed hopper hav- JAMES R. RIOKETTS. mg a discharge portion, a valve adapted to l 7 close said discharge portion, a plunger adaptl WVitnesses:

ed to traverse said discharge portion after l M. D. PRIEST, the valve is closed, and means for operating l O. F. FLINK. 

